Major affective distress in testing forensic paternity
C. Siserman, C. Delcea, H. V. Matei, M. L. Vică
Abstract: Background. Starting from the most recent validated trans-theoretical approaches regarding dysfunctional
negative emotions (depression, anxiety and affective-anxious lability), mediated by cognitive scheme and maladaptive cognitions,
we aimed to investigate their part in the assessment and testing of forensic paternity, as well as the participative behavior of the
tested individual.
Aim. Individual differences regarding adaptive or maladaptive participation in the assessment and testing of paternity in
subjects with a profile of major affective distress.
Methods. The total sample of participants was 142N, of which 71N clinical (C) and 71N nonclinical (NC). The groups
were divided into 50% male and 50% female subjects for both the clinical and non clinical groups. For the clinical group (C) we
selected patients who were tested in order to assess paternity. The average age for both groups (C/NC) was 31, and the average
educational level was 12.50 school grades. Subjects came from several locations in the country and had various ethnicities. The
expert team consisted of scientific specialists and consultants in the field of forensic medicine, molecular and cellular biology, as
well as psychology.
Outcomes. The test meets all statistic conditions regarding discriminant significance, result sphericity, homogeneity
using the ANCOVA method for age and sex, as well as clinical-non clinical group discrimination.
Results. A number of N143 respondents took part in the research; of them, 50% were male and 50% female, with a mean
of m=1.51 and a standard deviation of SD=0.51, as well as an average age of m=31.06 with a standard deviation of DS=8.33. The
groups were divided into an experimental group (E) consisting of N71 subjects and a control group (C) of N71. Significant results
were obtained in the t test for independent samples in the control group vs. the experimental group, with a mean of m=17.5528
and SD 2.34417, t-4.417, df 241.157, p 0.000.
Clinical implications. Developing relational and communication abilities in communicating with anxious and depressive
patients who undergo paternity tests, in order to ensure better collaboration and to foster an adaptive behavior regarding the
participation of individuals to forensic tests.
Strengths & limitations. This research did not include equal subgroups of gender and age for the clinical/non clinical
samples, thus influencing the research variables.
Conclusion. Research results suggest that major affective distress in assessing and testing paternity leads to maladaptive
behavior in the doctor-patient relationship, but also to non-compliant participation and other associated behaviors. Keywords: forensic medicine, paternity test, emotional distress.
, mediated by cognitive scheme and maladaptive cognitions,
we aimed to investigate their part in the assessment and testing of forensic paternity, as well as the participative behavior of the
tested individual.
Aim. Individual differences regarding adaptive or maladaptive participation in the assessment and testing of paternity in
subjects with a profile of major affective distress.
Methods. The total sample of participants was 142N, of which 71N clinical (C) and 71N nonclinical (NC). The groups
were divided into 50% male and 50% female subjects for both the clinical and non clinical groups. For the clinical group (C) we
selected patients who were tested in order to assess paternity. The average age for both groups (C/NC) was 31, and the average
educational level was 12.50 school grades. Subjects came from several locations in the country and had various ethnicities. The
expert team consisted of scientific specialists and consultants in the field of forensic medicine, molecular and cellular biology, as
well as psychology.
Outcomes. The test meets all statistic conditions regarding discriminant significance, result sphericity, homogeneity
using the ANCOVA method for age and sex, as well as clinical-non clinical group discrimination.
Results. A number of N143 respondents took part in the research; of them, 50% were male and 50% female, with a mean
of m=1.51 and a standard deviation of SD=0.51, as well as an average age of m=31.06 with a standard deviation of DS=8.33. The
groups were divided into an experimental group (E) consisting of N71 subjects and a control group (C) of N71. Significant results
were obtained in the t test for independent samples in the control group vs. the experimental group, with a mean of m=17.5528
and SD 2.34417, t-4.417, df 241.157, p 0.000.
Clinical implications. Developing relational and communication abilities in communicating with anxious and depressive
patients who undergo paternity tests, in order to ensure better collaboration and to foster an adaptive behavior regarding the
participation of individuals to forensic tests.
Strengths & limitations. This research did not include equal subgroups of gender and age for the clinical/non clinical
samples, thus influencing the research variables.
Conclusion. Research results suggest that major affective distress in assessing and testing paternity leads to maladaptive
behavior in the doctor-patient relationship, but also to non-compliant participation and other associated behaviors.&redirect_uri=http://rjlm.ro/index.php/arhiv/751)